Valve releases SteamVR Performance Tool

Yesterday, Valve release a new performance tool for computer users to verify their hardware against the SteamVR platform to see if our machines possess the strength and agility to power the displays on the upcoming HTC Vive.

Until now Valve and HTC had been somewhat reserved on what kind of computer equipment we would need to run a Vive system and the only thing we had to go on was what we discovered at CES2016. Despite these manufacturers saying you could buy pre-built systems that were VR ready we still weren’t sure if the GPU and CPU specs were going to be enough to deliver a smooth virtual experience that would keep us from getting sick.

Valve’s new SteamVR Performance Test will let you know if your system is VR Ready. Not only will the tool give you a yes or no answer, you’ll be specifically warned about which items are holding your machine back from reaching your VR dreams. Is it the CPU, GPU, or horrifyingly both?

The SteamVR Performance Test was released on 21 FEB 16 and has been used about 1,541 times so far. The tool can be downloaded for free at SteamDB and the file size is approximately 18.37 MB’s.

For those that have a gaming computer and are just under the recommended specs we’d like to know if you think it would be worth it to overclock your rig, if you don’t already, to meet requirements or will you consider upgrading to be an early adopter of this amazing technology.

About Andy Medders

Andy is a former Army Soldier born in California and currently settled in Kentucky with his wife and kids. He loves HTC tech and is excited to be among the early adopters of the Vive. Following and sharing recent HTC news as well as helping others become familiar with mobile and virtual tech are subjects he likes to be part of. Connect with him on social media.